the ability to better hit bulky Grass-types, most of whom are physically defensive to boot, is the main draw of this set over the SD variant

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

EV spread, choice of item, nature maximize its offensive capabilities

sun support recommended!

if taking this route, run a Modest nature and run SolarBeam

if not, use Timid to outrun as many things as possible, which is more important because of the lack of priority

alternative STABs are Energy Ball / Grass Knot, but the former has only slightly greater power and the latter is unreliable

for instance, it hits Gorebyss for 40 BP and Alomomola for 60

but does hit Aggron, Probopass, and Camerupt for 120 BP

Extrasensory to destroy Fighting-types

similar teammates hold: Mesprit or Golem for Stealth Rock, Garbodor for Spikes, Misdreavus or Haunter for spinblocking

Mesprit, Volbeat, Regirock make good Sunny Day users; Exeggutor and Victreebel are good fellow Chlorophyllers

[Other Options]

on a dedicated sun team, Growth / SolarBeam / Sucker Punch / Nature Power is probably the set you're looking for

can provide its own sun with Sunny Day but generally cannot spare the moveslot

Substitute because it forces switches and to protect it from revenge kills, but it would rather more coverage

Embargo to more easily break through Eviolite users, but not worth the moveslot at all

Spite can be used to drain the PP of Magmortar's Fire Blast or Sawk's Close Combat or Stone Edge, but is generally gimmicky

Tailwind is a great team support move, but there are better choices for support Pokemon—don't waste Shiftry's access to boosting moves

SubSeed, Synthesis - but it's frail anyway, and there are better defensive Grass-types, such as Jumpluff / Tangela

Bounce is Shiftry's best physical option against most Fighting-types, but as it requires a charge turn, it's easy to avoid

Shiftry has an amazing offensive movepool—including Focus Blast, Air Cutter, X-Scissor, Rock Slide and so on—and barely a fraction is covered in the above sets, but the listed options are the best ones.

Explosion could be paired with Sunny Day to set up sun for another teammate without losing offensive momentum

[Checks and Counters]

bulky Fighting-types such as Throh

Magmortar and Emboar resist both STABs and Hidden Power Fire

priority: ExtremeSpeed Linoone, Ice Shard Sneasel, Mach Punch Gurdurr

Choice Scarf users that resist Sucker Punch: eg. Sawk, Magmortar

[Dream World]

Pickpocket steals the opponent's item if attacked with a contact move

can provide support to team members by stealing opponents' items

but hilariously Shiftry itself is hampered, as it needs a Life Orb, as well as its Chlorophyll boost

consider that the only contact move Tangela carries with any sort of frequency is Knock Off, so you're not that likely to steal its Eviolite

[Overview]

<p>At first glance, Shiftry's base 100 Attack and base 90 Special Attack seem usable, but not outstanding. Look a little deeper, however, and you'll see that it has several ways of boosting its offenses, enabling it to become a surprisingly huge threat. While it can't abuse the move Growth and its Chlorophyll ability as effectively without permanent sun, Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are both excellent boosting moves. Moreover, unlike many other sweepers down in NU, it isn't starved for coverage at all thanks to its great movepool, the highlight of which is STAB Sucker Punch. Due to its frailty and multitude of weaknesses, however, Shiftry isn't quite the kind of Pokemon one can thoughtlessly slap on a team and expect to sweep. Itneeds quite a bit of support, but do look out for Shiftry, as that crafty grin isn't all it has to its name.</p>

<p>The first of Shiftry's plethora of offensive boosting moves is Swords Dance. While such a set might seem better done by Absol, who has a higher Attack stat, Shiftry boasts a better typing that also grants it a useful secondary STAB and a larger movepool. The goal of this set, however, is much the same: set up a Swords Dance and sweep.</p>

<p>Seed Bomb is reliable STAB, and enables Shiftry to break through bulky Water-types, especially Quagsire. Sucker Punch lets Shiftry beat frail, faster Pokemon, making it very difficult to revenge kill by conventional means. Furthermore, it packs immense power after STAB, and is thus a useful—though at times unreliable—sweeping move in its own right. Nature Power is the equivalent of Earthquake in Wi-Fi battles; not only does it provides super effective coverage against the likes of Skuntank, it also easily demolishes the likes of Bastiodon and Probopass.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The standard offensive EV spread is used to maximize Shiftry's power and Speed, while an Adamant nature is chosen for the added power, because Shiftry already packs priority in STAB Sucker Punch, and its decent base 100 Attack is let down by the relatively low Base Power of its moves. Life Orb is recommended for power: as Shiftry is frail and has a plethora of weaknesses, it won't be taking many hits anyway. Low Kick is worth considering over Nature Power as it provides similar coverage, only losing out significantly against grounded Poison-types.</p>

<p>If not using Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, bulky Water-types such as Quagsire and Alomomola have good synergy with Shiftry, as it resists attacks they are weak to and vice versa. As with any sweeper, Shiftry appreciates entry hazards: Camerupt and Golem can set up Stealth Rock reliably, and despite Garbodor's many flaws, it does boast good synergy with Shiftry—Garbodor resists Bug- and Fighting-type moves, while Shiftry comfortably switches in on Psychic-type attacks Garbodor attracts. Either Haunter or Misdreavus makes a good third member of this core, as both can spinblock and set up on Fighting-types. Alternatively, bulky Psychic-types, such as Mesprit and Duosion, can fulfill this latter role.</p>

<p>Aside from Swords Dance, Shiftry also receives Nasty Plot, with which it can boost its Special Attack to tremendous levels. This set shares many similarities with the Swords Dance one, and though the lack of priority is undoubtedly a limitation, it does boast a number of specific advantages, such as the surprise factor. Though this should not be relied on, considering Shiftry's frailty, the opportunity to possibly snag a free set-up turn is always appreciated.</p>

<p>Giga Drain and Dark Pulse are obvious STAB choices; the former provides recovery while the latter has slightly greater power and a flinch chance. Solely with its STAB moves, Shiftry hits many common defensive types—namely Water, Rock, Psychic, and Ghost—super effectively, making it difficult to wall. It does miss out on opposing Bug-, Grass-, and Steel-types, however, which is where Hidden Power Fire comes in. Hidden Power Fire gains pseudo-STAB in sun; in fact, the ability to better hit bulky Grass-types, most of whom are physically defensive to boot, is the main draw of this set over the Swords Dance variant.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread and chosen item maximize Shiftry's offensive capabilities, making it as speedy and as hard-hitting as possible. A Speed-boosting nature is recommended on this set because its lack of priority makes outpacing foes much more important—remember that Shiftry can rarely ever take a hit. In the same vein, Sunny Day support is recommended from teammates such as Mesprit, Volbeat, and Regirock; sun activates Shiftry's Chlorophyll ability, letting it outspeed virtually the entire metagame. If taking this route, be sure to run a Modest nature, and replace Giga Drain with SolarBeam.</p>

<p>Speaking of Giga Drain, Shiftry receives many alternative Grass-type STAB picks, most notably Energy Ball and Grass Knot, but the slightly greater Base Power of the former isn't worth giving up the health replenishing effect of Giga Drain, and the latter is unreliable in power. For instance, Grass Knot hits Gorebyss for 40 Base Power and Alomomola for 60, less than Giga Drain's 75, but does hit Probopass and Camerupt for a massive 120 Base Power. Extrasensory can be used to destroy cocky Fighting-types, especially as Shiftry outspeeds Choice Scarf Sawk and Magmortar in sun. This set enjoys the same teammates as its Swords Dance counterpart: either Mesprit or Golem is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Garbodor lays Spikes, and Misdreavus and Haunter both spinblock well. Volbeat, Regirock, and the aforementioned Mesprit make good Sunny Day users, while Exeggutor and Victreebel are both good fellow Chlorophyll sweepers.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>If you're looking to use Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, or use one to counter said sun teams, a set with Growth, SolarBeam, Sucker Punch, and Nature Power is probably what you're looking for. Do note though that Shiftry does not learn Night Slash, so even with the Chlorophyll boost, Shiftry must stick with Sucker Punch. Indeed, the boost Shiftry gains from sun cannot be overemphasized, as it not only increases Shiftry's Speed to breakneck levels, but also enables it to go mixed with Growth. You might therefore be interested in letting Shiftry support itself with Sunny Day, but Shiftry generally cannot spare a moveslot. Substitute can be considered because Shiftry forces switches, and is useful to protect it from revenge killers, but again, Shiftry lacks free moveslots: if it gives up its boosting move, its power output is pathetic, while if it gives up an offensive move, its coverage suffers immensely.</p>

<p>In fact, this is the case for just about all of Shiftry's many, many support moves; it can use Embargo to more easily break through Eviolite users, Spite to drain the PP of Magmortar's Fire Blast or Sawk's Close Combat, or Tailwind for immense team support. However, there are better choices for support Pokemon—don't waste Shiftry's access to such excellent boosting moves! Not to be outdone, Shiftry's Grass typing also grants it a number of other options, but these are just as unviable. Said options include SubSeed and Synthesis, but the former is better done by the naturally speedier Jumpluff, or even Prankster Cottonee, and Shiftry is too frail to make use of the latter;additionally, there exist better bulky Grass-types with arguably better typings, namely Tangela, Torterra, and Leafeon. Bounce is Shiftry's best physical option against most Fighting-types, but as it requires a charge turn, it's easy to avoid. Shiftry has an amazing offensive movepool, including Focus Blast, Air Cutter, X-Scissor, Rock Slide, and so on; in fact, barely a fraction is covered in the above sets. However, rest assured that the listed options are the best ones. Finally, Shiftry can use Sunny Day along with an immensely fast Explosion to set up weather and bring in a teammate without losing offensive momentum, but this is a job for only the most dedicated of sun teams.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Most physical walls, Tangela, Leafeon, and Weezing to name a few, are not 2HKOed by any of Shiftry's attacks. Bulky Fighting-types, such as Throh and Gurdurr, also make good counters to Shiftry; the latter in particular has Mach Punch to pick off weakened Shiftry without first taking a hit. Magmortar and Emboar are notable for resisting both Shiftry's STAB moves, as well as Hidden Power Fire, but must watch out for a super effective Nature Power. Priority is also a good way to handle Shiftry. Aside from Mach Punch Gurdurr, good picks include ExtremeSpeed Linoone and Ice Shard Sneasel; as a bonus, both can strike before Shiftry's Sucker Punch. Shiftry is to all intents and purposes impossible to outspeed if sun is up, but outside of that, Choice Scarf users that resist Sucker Punch, such as Sawk and Magmortar, will typically suffice.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Pickpocket, Shiftry's Dream World ability, enables it to steal the opponent's item if Shiftry is hit by a contact move. This ability will typically be of little use to Shiftry itself, but it does let Shiftry provide an interesting form of support to its teammates—removing an opponent's Eviolite, Leftovers, Life Orb, or Choice item will likely make it easier for Shiftry's teammates to handle. Ironically, however, Shiftry is hampered by its own pickpocketing; not only does it have to forgo a possible Chlorophyll boost, but in order for this ability to activate, Shiftry will also have to go without its Life Orb, meaning it will do much less damage. Additionally, bear in mind that just about the only contact move Tangela ever carries—and even so, only uncommonly—is Knock Off, so you aren't likely to steal its Eviolite.</p>

<p>At first glance, Shiftry's base 100 Attack and base 90 Special Attack seem usable, but not outstanding. Look a little deeper, however, and you'll see that it has several ways of boosting its offenses, enabling it to become a surprisingly huge threat. While it can't abuse the move Growth and its Chlorophyll ability as effectively without permanent sun, Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are both excellent boosting moves. Moreover, unlike many other sweepers down in NU, it isn't starved for coverage at all thanks to its great movepool, the highlight of which is STAB Sucker Punch. Due to its frailty and multitude of weaknesses, however, Shiftry isn't quite the kind of Pokemon one can thoughtlessly slap on a team and expect to sweep. Shiftry needs quite a bit of support, but do look out for Shiftry, as that crafty grin isn't all it has to its name.</p>

<p>The first of Shiftry's plethora of offensive boosting moves is Swords Dance. While such a Shiftry set might seem better done by Absol, who has a higher Attack stat, Shiftry boasts greater bulk, better typing that also grants it a useful secondary STAB, as well as a larger movepool. The goal of this set, however, is much the same: set up a Swords Dance and sweep.</p>

<p>Seed Bomb is reliable STAB, and enables Shiftry to break through bulky Water-types, especially Quagsire. Sucker Punch lets Shiftry beats frail, faster Pokemon, making it very difficult to revenge kill by conventional means. Furthermore, it packs immense power after STAB, and is thus a useful—though at times unreliable—sweeping move in its own right. Nature Power is the equivalent of Earthquake in simulator and Wi-Fisimulator simulates Wi-Fi battles xD battles; not only does it provides super effective coverage against the likes of Skuntank, it also easily demolishes the likes of Bastiodon and Probopass.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The standard offensive EV spread is used to maximize Shiftry's power and Speed, while an Adamant nature is chosen for the added power, because Shiftry already packs priority in STAB Sucker Punch, and its decent base 100 Attackneeds all the extra power it can get. 80 and above BP isn't low lol :/ is let down by the relatively low Base Power of its moves. Life Orb is recommended for power: as Shiftry is frail and has a plethora of weaknesses, it won't be taking many hits anyway. Low Kick is worth considering over Nature Power as it has provides similar coverage, only losing out significantly against grounded Poison-types.</p>

<p>If not using Shiftry on a dedicated sun team,ehhh how does that make a difference >.> Bulky Water-types such as Quagsire and Alomomola are good teammates to Shiftry as they have good synergy with it; itthey resiststheirthe attacks it's weak to sorry change of subject :/ weaknesses and vice versa. As with any sweeper, Shiftry appreciates entry hazards support; Camerupt and Golem can set up Stealth Rock reliably, and despite Garbodor's other there is no comparison >.> flaws, it does boast good synergy with Shiftry—Garbodor resists Bug- and Fighting-type moves, while Shiftry comfortably switches in on Psychic-type attacks Garbodor attracts. Either Haunter or Misdreavus makes a good third member of this core, as both can spinblock and can set up on Fighting-types. Alternatively, bulky Psychic-types, such as Mesprit and Duosion, can fulfill thisthe latter role.</p>

<p>Aside from Swords Dance, Shiftry also receives Nasty Plot, with which it can boost its Special Attack to tremendous levels. This set shares many similarities with the Swords Dance one, and though the lack of priority is undoubtedly a limitation, it does boast a number of specific advantages, such as the surprise factor. Though this should not be relied on, considering Shiftry's frailty, the opportunity to possibly snag a free set-up turn is always appreciated.</p>

<p>Giga Drain and Dark Pulse are obvious STAB choices; the former provides recovery while the latter has slightly greater power and a flinch chance. Solely with its STABsmoves, didn't you say you prefer this one? xDShiftry hits many common defensive types—namely Water, Rock, Psychic, and Ghost—super effectively, making it difficult to wall. It does miss out on opposing Bug-, Grass-, and Steel-types, however, which is where Hidden Power Fire comes in. Hidden Power Fire gains pseudo-STAB in sun; in fact, the ability to better hit bulky Grass-types, most of whom are physically defensive to boot, is the main draw of this set over the Swords Dance variant.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread and chosen item maximize Shiftry's offensive capabilities, making it as speedy and as hard-hitting as possible. A Speed-boosting nature is recommended on this set because its lack of priority makes outpacing foes much more important—remember that Shiftry can rarely ever take a hit. In the same vein, Sunny Day support is recommended from teammates such as Mesprit, Volbeat, and Regirock; sun activates Shiftry's Chlorophyll ability, letting it outspeed virtually the entire metagame. If taking this route, be sure to run a Modest nature, and replace Giga Drain with SolarBeam.</p>

<p>Speaking of Giga Drain, Shiftry receives many alternative Grass-type STAB picks, most notably Energy Ball and Grass Knot, but the slightly greater Base Power of the former isn't worth giving up the health replenishing effect of Giga Drain, and the latter is unreliable in power. For instance, Grass Knot hits Gorebyss for 40 Base Power and Alomomola for 60, less than Giga Drain's 75, but does hit Probopass and Camerupt for a massive 120 Base Power. Extrasensory can be used to destroy cocky Fighting-types, especially as Shiftry outspeeds Choice Scarf Sawk and Magmortar in sun. This set enjoys the same teammates as does its Swords Dance counterpart: either Mesprit or Golem is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Garbodor lays Spikes, and while eh the previous part is about entry hazards and this part is different so this might be a better word? >.> Misdreavus and Haunter both spinblock well. Volbeat, Regirock, and the aforementioned Mesprit make good Sunny Day users, while Exeggutor and Victreebel are both good fellow Chlorophyll sweepers.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>If you're looking to use Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, or use one to counter said sun teams, Growth / SolarBeam / Sucker Punch / Nature Powera set with Growth, SolarBeam, Sucker Punch, and Nature Power is probably the setwhat / the one you're looking for. Do note though that Shiftry does not learn Night Slash, so even with the Chlorophyll boost, Shiftry must stick with Sucker Punch. Indeed, the boost Shiftry gains from sun cannot be overemphasized, as it not only increases Shiftry's Speed to breakneck levels, but also enables it to go mixed with Growth. You might therefore be interested in letting Shiftry support itself with Sunny Day, but Shiftry generally cannot spare thea moveslot. Substitute can be considered because Shiftry forces switches, and is useful to protect it from revenge killers, but again, Shiftry has a lack ofsuffers from the limitedfour moveslot syndrome if you want, but it's not till that extent :/ moveslots: if it gives up its boosting move, its power output is pathetic, while if it gives up an offensive move, its coverage suffers immensely.</p>

<p>In fact, this is the case for just about all of Shiftry's many, many support moves;<semicolon> Embargo can be used to more easily break through Eviolite users, Spite to drain the PP of Magmortar's Fire Blast or Sawk's Close Combat, or Tailwind for immense team support. However, there are better choices for support Pokemon—don't waste Shiftry's access to such excellent boosting moves! Not to be outdone, Shiftry's Grass typing also grants it a number of other options, but these are just as unviable. Said options include SubSeed and Synthesis, but the former is better done by the naturally speedier Jumpluff, or even Prankster Cottonee, and as to the latter, Shiftry is too frail to make use of the recovery, and there exist better bulky Grass-types with arguably better typings, namely Tangela, Torterra, and Leafeon. Bounce is a physically based Shiftry's best physically based option against most Fighting-types, but as it requires a charge turn, it's easy to avoid. Shiftry has an amazing offensive movepool, including Focus Blast, Air Cutter, X-Scissor, Rock Slide, and so on; in fact, barely a fraction is covered in the above sets. However, rest assured that the listed options are the best ones. Finally, Shiftry can use Sunny Day along with an immensely fast Explosion to set up weather and bring in a teammate without losing offensive momentum, but this is a job for only the most dedicated of sun teams.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Most physical walls, Tangela, Leafeon, and Weezing to name a few, are not 2HKOed by any of Shiftry's attacks. Bulky Fighting-types, such as Throh and Gurdurr, also make good counters to Shiftry; the latter in particular has Mach Punch to pick off weakened Shiftry without first taking a hit. ehhh sucker punch? Magmortar and Emboar are notable for resisting both Shiftry's STAB moves, as well as Hidden Power Fire, but must watch out for a super effective Nature Power. Priority is also a good way to handle Shiftry. Aside from Mach Punch Gurdurr, good picks include ExtremeSpeed Linoone and Ice Shard Sneasel; as a bonus, both avoid can strike before Shiftry's Sucker Punch does. Shiftry is to all intents and purposes impossible to outspeed if sun is up, but in neutral weather outside of that, Choice Scarf users that resist Sucker Punch, such as Sawk and Magmortar, will typically suffice.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Pickpocket, Shiftry's Dream World ability, enables it to steal the opponent's item if Shiftry is hit by a contact move. This ability will typically be of little use to Shiftry itself, but it does let Shiftry provide an interesting form of support to its teammates; preferentialmembers, by removing an opponent's Eviolite, Leftovers, Life Orb, or Choice item,possibly makesit is possibly easier to be dealt with. Ironically, however, Shiftry is hampered by its own pickpocketing; not only does it have to forgo a possible Chlorophyll boost, but in order for this ability to activate, Shiftry will also have to go without its Life Orb, meaning it will do much less damage. Additionally, bear in mind that just about the only contact move Tangela ever carries—and even so, only uncommonly—is Knock Off, so you aren't likely to steal its Eviolite.</p>

also, quick clarification needed from QC: this analysis was approved without the ability tag in the Swords Dance set - can I add it in, or was it not added because Early Bird is not entirely useless / inferior / nonviable, sun teams are too rare, etc?

Monzur....: switry
Monzur....: swiftry is the best on EVASION
Monzur....: THE THAT NUJLEAF IN VOLES
Monzur....: swiftry
Monzur....: use leaf stone
Monzur....: CATCH A DAMN NUJLEAF THEN USE LEAFSTONE ON IT!
Monzur....: GET IT
Monzur....: GET IT?

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[Overview]

<p>At first glance, Shiftry's base 100 Attack and base 90 Special Attack seem usable, but not outstanding. Look a little deeper, however, and you'll see that it has several ways of boosting its offenses, enabling it to become a surprisingly huge threat. While it can't abuse the move Growth and its Chlorophyll ability as effectively without permanent sun, Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are both excellent boosting moves. Moreover, unlike many other sweepers down in NU, it isn't starved for coverage at all thanks to its great movepool, the highlight of which is STAB Sucker Punch. Due to its frailty and multitude of weaknesses, however, Shiftry isn't quite the kind of Pokemon one can thoughtlessly slap on a team and expect to sweep. ShiftryIt needs quite a bit of support, but do look out for Shiftry, as that crafty grin isn't all it has to its name.</p>

<p>The first of Shiftry's plethora of offensive boosting moves is Swords Dance. While such a Shiftry set might seem better done by Absol, who has a higher Attack stat, Shiftry boasts greater bulk,a better typing that also grants it a useful secondary STAB, as well asand a larger movepool. (I’ll leave this one up to you, but I don’t see Shiftry’s superior bulk as much of an advantage when it still dies to like everything lol) The goal of this set, however, is much the same: set up a Swords Dance and sweep.</p>

<p>Seed Bomb is reliable STAB, and enables Shiftry to break through bulky Water-types, especially Quagsire. Sucker Punch lets Shiftry beatsbeat frail, faster Pokemon, making it very difficult to revenge kill by conventional means. Furthermore, it packs immense power after STAB, and is thus a useful—though at times unreliable—sweeping move in its own right. Nature Power is the equivalent of Earthquake in Wi-Fi battles; not only does it provides super effective coverage against the likes of Skuntank, it also easily demolishes the likes of Bastiodon and Probopass.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The standard offensive EV spread is used to maximize Shiftry's power and Speed, while an Adamant nature is chosen for the added power, because Shiftry already packs priority in STAB Sucker Punch, and its decent base 100 Attack is let down by the relatively low Base Power of its moves. Life Orb is recommended for power: as Shiftry is frail and has a plethora of weaknesses, it won't be taking many hits anyway. Low Kick is worth considering over Nature Power as it provides similar coverage, only losing out significantly against grounded Poison-types.</p>

<p>If not using Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, bulky Water-types such as Quagsire and Alomomola have good synergy with Shiftry, as it resists attacks they are weak to and vice versa. As with any sweeper, Shiftry appreciates entry hazards: Camerupt and Golem can set up Stealth Rock reliably, and despite Garbodor's many flaws, it does boast good synergy with Shiftry—Garbodor resists Bug- and Fighting-type moves, while Shiftry comfortably switches in on Psychic-type attacks Garbodor attracts. Either Haunter or Misdreavus makes a good third member of this core, as both can spinblock and set up on Fighting-types. Alternatively, bulky Psychic-types, such as Mesprit and Duosion, can fulfill this latter role.</p>

<p>Aside from Swords Dance, Shiftry also receives Nasty Plot, with which it can boost its Special Attack to tremendous levels. This set shares many similarities with the Swords Dance one, and though the lack of priority is undoubtedly a limitation, it does boast a number of specific advantages, such as the surprise factor. Though this should not be relied on, considering Shiftry's frailty, the opportunity to possibly snag a free set-up turn is always appreciated.</p>

<p>Giga Drain and Dark Pulse are obvious STAB choices; the former provides recovery while the latter has slightly greater power and a flinch chance. Solely with its STAB moves, Shiftry hits many common defensive types—namely Water, Rock, Psychic, and Ghost—super effectively, making it difficult to wall. It does miss out on opposing Bug-, Grass-, and Steel-types, however, which is where Hidden Power Fire comes in. Hidden Power Fire gains pseudo-STAB in sun; in fact, the ability to better hit bulky Grass-types, most of whom are physically defensive to boot, is the main draw of this set over the Swords Dance variant.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread and chosen item maximize Shiftry's offensive capabilities, making it as speedy and as hard-hitting as possible. A Speed-boosting nature is recommended on this set because its lack of priority makes outpacing foes much more important—remember that Shiftry can rarely ever take a hit. In the same vein, Sunny Day support is recommended from teammates such as Mesprit, Volbeat, and Regirock; sun activates Shiftry's Chlorophyll ability, letting it outspeed virtually the entire metagame. If taking this route, be sure to run a Modest nature, and replace Giga Drain with SolarBeam.</p>

<p>Speaking of Giga Drain, Shiftry receives many alternative Grass-type STAB picks, most notably Energy Ball and Grass Knot, but the slightly greater Base Power of the former isn't worth giving up the health replenishing effect of Giga Drain, and the latter is unreliable in power. For instance, Grass Knot hits Gorebyss for 40 Base Power and Alomomola for 60, less than Giga Drain's 75, but does hit Probopass and Camerupt for a massive 120 Base Power. Extrasensory can be used to destroy cocky Fighting-types, especially as Shiftry outspeeds Choice Scarf Sawk and Magmortar in sun. This set enjoys the same teammates as does its Swords Dance counterpart: either Mesprit or Golem is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Garbodor lays Spikes, and Misdreavus and Haunter both spinblock well. Volbeat, Regirock, and the aforementioned Mesprit make good Sunny Day users, while Exeggutor and Victreebel are both good fellow Chlorophyll sweepers.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>If you're looking to use Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, or use one to counter said sun teams, a set with Growth, SolarBeam, Sucker Punch, and Nature Power is probably what you're looking for. Do note though that Shiftry does not learn Night Slash, so even with the Chlorophyll boost, Shiftry must stick with Sucker Punch. Indeed, the boost Shiftry gains from sun cannot be overemphasized, as it not only increases Shiftry's Speed to breakneck levels, but also enables it to go mixed with Growth. You might therefore be interested in letting Shiftry support itself with Sunny Day, but Shiftry generally cannot spare a moveslot. Substitute can be considered because Shiftry forces switches, and is useful to protect it from revenge killers, but again, Shiftry lacks free moveslots: if it gives up its boosting move, its power output is pathetic, while if it gives up an offensive move, its coverage suffers immensely.</p>

<p>In fact, this is the case for just about all of Shiftry's many, many support moves; it can use Embargo can be used to more easily break through Eviolite users, Spite to drain the PP of Magmortar's Fire Blast or Sawk's Close Combat, or Tailwind for immense team support. However, there are better choices for support Pokemon—don't waste Shiftry's access to such excellent boosting moves! Not to be outdone, Shiftry's Grass typing also grants it a number of other options, but these are just as unviable. Said options include SubSeed and Synthesis, but the former is better done by the naturally speedier Jumpluff, or even Prankster Cottonee, and as to the latter,Shiftry is too frail to make use of the recovery,latter; andadditionally, there exist better bulky Grass-types with arguably better typings, namely Tangela, Torterra, and Leafeon. Bounce is Shiftry's best physical option against most Fighting-types, but as it requires a charge turn, it's easy to avoid. Shiftry has an amazing offensive movepool, including Focus Blast, Air Cutter, X-Scissor, Rock Slide, and so on; in fact, barely a fraction is covered in the above sets. However, rest assured that the listed options are the best ones. Finally, Shiftry can use Sunny Day along with an immensely fast Explosion to set up weather and bring in a teammate without losing offensive momentum, but this is a job for only the most dedicated of sun teams.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Most physical walls, Tangela, Leafeon, and Weezing to name a few, are not 2HKOed by any of Shiftry's attacks. Bulky Fighting-types, such as Throh and Gurdurr, also make good counters to Shiftry; the latter in particular has Mach Punch to pick off weakened Shiftry without first taking a hit. Magmortar and Emboar are notable for resisting both Shiftry's STAB moves, as well as Hidden Power Fire, but must watch out for a super effective Nature Power. Priority is also a good way to handle Shiftry. Aside from Mach Punch Gurdurr, good picks include ExtremeSpeed Linoone and Ice Shard Sneasel; as a bonus, both can strike before Shiftry's Sucker Punch. Shiftry is to all intents and purposes impossible to outspeed if sun is up, but outside of that, Choice Scarf users that resist Sucker Punch, such as Sawk and Magmortar, will typically suffice.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Pickpocket, Shiftry's Dream World ability, enables it to steal the opponent's item if Shiftry is hit by a contact move. This ability will typically be of little use to Shiftry itself, but it does let Shiftry provide an interesting form of support to its teammates—removing an opponent's Eviolite, Leftovers, Life Orb, or Choice item will likely make it easier for Shiftry's teammates to handle. Ironically, however, Shiftry is hampered by its own pickpocketing; not only does it have to forgo a possible Chlorophyll boost, but in order for this ability to activate, Shiftry will also have to go without its Life Orb, meaning it will do much less damage. Additionally, bear in mind that just about the only contact move Tangela ever carries—and even so, only uncommonly—is Knock Off, so you aren't likely to steal its Eviolite.</p>

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[Overview]

<p>At first glance, Shiftry's base 100 Attack and base 90 Special Attack seem usable, but not outstanding. Look a little deeper, however, and you'll see that it has several ways of boosting its offenses, enabling it to become a surprisingly huge threat. While it can't abuse the move Growth and its Chlorophyll ability as effectively without permanent sun, Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are both excellent boosting moves. Moreover, unlike many other sweepers down in NU, it isn't starved for coverage at all thanks to its great movepool, the highlight of which is STAB Sucker Punch. Due to its frailty and multitude of weaknesses, however, Shiftry isn't quite the kind of Pokemon one can thoughtlessly slap on a team and expect to sweep. Itneeds quite a bit of support, but do look out for Shiftry, as that crafty grin isn't all it has to its name.</p>

<p>The first of Shiftry's plethora of offensive boosting moves is Swords Dance. While such a set might seem better done by Absol, who has a higher Attack stat, Shiftry boasts a better typing that also grants it a useful secondary STAB and a larger movepool. The goal of this set, however, is much the same: set up a Swords Dance and sweep.</p>

<p>Seed Bomb is reliable STAB, and enables Shiftry to break through bulky Water-types, especially Quagsire. Sucker Punch lets Shiftry beat frail, faster Pokemon, making it very difficult to revenge kill by conventional means. Furthermore, it packs immense power after STAB, and is thus a useful—though at times unreliable—sweeping move in its own right. Nature Power is the equivalent of Earthquake in Wi-Fi battles; not only does it provides super effective coverage against the likes of Skuntank, it also easily demolishes the likes of Bastiodon and Probopass.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The standard offensive EV spread is used to maximize Shiftry's power and Speed, while an Adamant nature is chosen for the added power, because Shiftry already packs priority in STAB Sucker Punch, and its decent base 100 Attack is let down by the relatively low Base Power of its moves. Life Orb is recommended for power: as Shiftry is frail and has a plethora of weaknesses, it won't be taking many hits anyway. Low Kick is worth considering over Nature Power as it provides similar coverage, only losing out significantly against grounded Poison-types.</p>

<p>If not using Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, bulky Water-types such as Quagsire and Alomomola have good synergy with Shiftry, as it resists attacks they are weak to and vice versa. As with any sweeper, Shiftry appreciates entry hazards: Camerupt and Golem can set up Stealth Rock reliably, and despite Garbodor's many flaws, it does boast good synergy with Shiftry—Garbodor resists Bug- and Fighting-type moves, while Shiftry comfortably switches in on Psychic-type attacks Garbodor attracts. Either Haunter or Misdreavus makes a good third member of this core, as both can spinblock and set up on Fighting-types. Alternatively, bulky Psychic-types, such as Mesprit and Duosion, can fulfill this latter role.</p>

<p>Aside from Swords Dance, Shiftry also receives Nasty Plot, with which it can boost its Special Attack to tremendous levels. This set shares many similarities with the Swords Dance one, and though the lack of priority is undoubtedly a limitation, it does boast a number of specific advantages, such as the surprise factor. Though this should not be relied on, considering Shiftry's frailty, the opportunity to possibly snag a free set-up turn is always appreciated.</p>

<p>Giga Drain and Dark Pulse are obvious STAB choices; the former provides recovery while the latter has slightly greater power and a flinch chance. Solely with its STAB moves, Shiftry hits many common defensive types—namely Water, Rock, Psychic, and Ghost—super effectively, making it difficult to wall. It does miss out on opposing Bug-, Grass-, and Steel-types, however, which is where Hidden Power Fire comes in. Hidden Power Fire gains pseudo-STAB in sun; in fact, the ability to better hit bulky Grass-types, most of whom are physically defensive to boot, is the main draw of this set over the Swords Dance variant.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread and chosen item maximize Shiftry's offensive capabilities, making it as speedy and as hard-hitting as possible. A Speed-boosting nature is recommended on this set because its lack of priority makes outpacing foes much more important—remember that Shiftry can rarely ever take a hit. In the same vein, Sunny Day support is recommended from teammates such as Mesprit, Volbeat, and Regirock; sun activates Shiftry's Chlorophyll ability, letting it outspeed virtually the entire metagame. If taking this route, be sure to run a Modest nature, and replace Giga Drain with SolarBeam.</p>

<p>Speaking of Giga Drain, Shiftry receives many alternative Grass-type STAB picks, most notably Energy Ball and Grass Knot, but the slightly greater Base Power of the former isn't worth giving up the health replenishing effect of Giga Drain, and the latter is unreliable in power. For instance, Grass Knot hits Gorebyss for 40 Base Power and Alomomola for 60, less than Giga Drain's 75, but does hit Probopass and Camerupt for a massive 120 Base Power. Extrasensory can be used to destroy cocky Fighting-types, especially as Shiftry outspeeds Choice Scarf Sawk and Magmortar in sun. This set enjoys the same teammates as its Swords Dance counterpart: either Mesprit or Golem is a good choice to provide Stealth Rock, Garbodor lays Spikes, and Misdreavus and Haunter both spinblock well. Volbeat, Regirock, and the aforementioned Mesprit make good Sunny Day users, while Exeggutor and Victreebel are both good fellow Chlorophyll sweepers.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>If you're looking to use Shiftry on a dedicated sun team, or use one to counter said sun teams, a set with Growth, SolarBeam, Sucker Punch, and Nature Power is probably what you're looking for. Do note though that Shiftry does not learn Night Slash, so even with the Chlorophyll boost, Shiftry must stick with Sucker Punch. Indeed, the boost Shiftry gains from sun cannot be overemphasized, as it not only increases Shiftry's Speed to breakneck levels, but also enables it to go mixed with Growth. You might therefore be interested in letting Shiftry support itself with Sunny Day, but Shiftry generally cannot spare a moveslot. Substitute can be considered because Shiftry forces switches, and is useful to protect it from revenge killers, but again, Shiftry lacks free moveslots: if it gives up its boosting move, its power output is pathetic, while if it gives up an offensive move, its coverage suffers immensely.</p>

<p>In fact, this is the case for just about all of Shiftry's many, many support moves; it can use Embargo to more easily break through Eviolite users, Spite to drain the PP of Magmortar's Fire Blast or Sawk's Close Combat, or Tailwind for immense team support. However, there are better choices for support Pokemon—don't waste Shiftry's access to such excellent boosting moves! Not to be outdone, Shiftry's Grass typing also grants it a number of other options, but these are just as unviable. Said options include SubSeed and Synthesis, but the former is better done by the naturally speedier Jumpluff, or even Prankster Cottonee, and Shiftry is too frail to make use of the latter;additionally, there exist better bulky Grass-types with arguably better typings, namely Tangela, Torterra, and Leafeon. Bounce is Shiftry's best physical option against most Fighting-types, but as it requires a charge turn, it's easy to avoid. Shiftry has an amazing offensive movepool, including Focus Blast, Air Cutter, X-Scissor, Rock Slide, and so on; in fact, barely a fraction is covered in the above sets. However, rest assured that the listed options are the best ones. Finally, Shiftry can use Sunny Day along with an immensely fast Explosion to set up weather and bring in a teammate without losing offensive momentum, but this is a job for only the most dedicated of sun teams.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Most physical walls, Tangela, Leafeon, and Weezing to name a few, are not 2HKOed by any of Shiftry's attacks. Bulky Fighting-types, such as Throh and Gurdurr, also make good counters to Shiftry; the latter in particular has Mach Punch to pick off weakened Shiftry without first taking a hit. Magmortar and Emboar are notable for resisting both Shiftry's STAB moves, as well as Hidden Power Fire, but must watch out for a super effective Nature Power. Priority is also a good way to handle Shiftry. Aside from Mach Punch Gurdurr, good picks include ExtremeSpeed Linoone and Ice Shard Sneasel; as a bonus, both can strike before Shiftry's Sucker Punch. Shiftry is to all intents and purposes impossible to outspeed if sun is up, but outside of that, Choice Scarf users that resist Sucker Punch, such as Sawk and Magmortar, will typically suffice.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Pickpocket, Shiftry's Dream World ability, enables it to steal the opponent's item if Shiftry is hit by a contact move. This ability will typically be of little use to Shiftry itself, but it does let Shiftry provide an interesting form of support to its teammates—removing an opponent's Eviolite, Leftovers, Life Orb, or Choice item will likely make it easier for Shiftry's teammates to handle. Ironically, however, Shiftry is hampered by its own pickpocketing; not only does it have to forgo a possible Chlorophyll boost, but in order for this ability to activate, Shiftry will also have to go without its Life Orb, meaning it will do much less damage. Additionally, bear in mind that just about the only contact move Tangela ever carries—and even so, only uncommonly—is Knock Off, so you aren't likely to steal its Eviolite.</p>